By Omar Javaid
The famous American think tank RAND (www.rang.org), which seems to have immense influence on global policy framework of the so called developed world, has published a few reports on how
to restructure Muslim societies. The notable one is ‘Building Moderate MuslimNetwork’. This report outlines a comprehensive strategy on how to use the Cold War experience to discredit the traditional orthodox
interpretation of Islam, and popularize an interpretation which is compatible
with modern western ideological framework.
The famous American think tank RAND (www.rang.org), which seems to have immense influence on global policy framework of the so called developed world, has published a few reports on how
to restructure Muslim societies. The notable one is ‘Building Moderate MuslimNetwork’. This report outlines a comprehensive strategy on how to use the Cold War experience to discredit the traditional orthodox
interpretation of Islam, and popularize an interpretation which is compatible
with modern western ideological framework.
The phrase ‘War of Ideas’ has been
explicitly used for this clash in this report. As the title suggests the idea is to build network of so
called ‘Moderate Muslims’ and make them role models for the rest of the public
to follow. These ‘Moderate Muslims’ are the ones who believe in Islamic
Liberalism or an interpretation of Islam compatible with Liberal philosophical
discourse. This would mean that those intellectual, academics, thinkers,
politicians, public figures, celebrities, even so called religious scholars who
endorse such an interpretation of Islam would be provided with various plate
forms and mediums to connect and influence the remaining population through
their ideals, beliefs, world view, values, life style, etc, while rendering the
traditional and orthodox Muslims as obsolete and irrelevant.
